


Sagitta Luminis

by SilverKitsune



Series: Madoka AU [1]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: And not in that cutesy slow burn high school/college AU kind of way, Graphic violence on par with Berseria, M/M, Madoka AU, Started for Sormik Week 2017, The AU where Being Mikleo Is Suffering, We'll see when I actually finish it, With all the pain you expect, Zestiria characters with a lot of world building from Berseria in the background
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-09-09
Packaged: 2018-12-05 12:50:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11578410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune/pseuds/SilverKitsune
Summary: All it takes is a wish and a contract to become a malak and enter a life of endless combat against daemons. For some, it's an opportunity to set right what once went wrong.  For others, it's an opportunity to get what they want, one last time.  And for one, it's an opportunity to offer salvation to those who need it most.Or, the Puella Magi Madoka Magica AU nobody asked for, and everyone is going to get, character deaths and all.





	1. The Cycle Begins

**Author's Note:**

> So here it is, my grand entry for Sormik Week! Also known as That One AU I've been teasing on Tumblr since December! I meant to have all of this done by now, but writer's block is an evil evil thing. orz Hopefully this first chapter will be enough to set the stage, and with any luck, you might even get Chapter 2 sooner rather than later. And keep that Major Character Death tag in mind - I'm not holding back on any of the punches here.
> 
> Major thanks to [Kokoai](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Kokoai/pseuds/Kokoai) for beta reading and Suffering along with me during discussions.

_Tick tock_

The only sound in the empty city was the sound of wind whistling around the ruins. Jagged beams of fallen skyscrapers poked up out of the water, each a steel and concrete grave marker for the lives lost during the battle. Off in the distance, an enormous glowing white dragon floated, wings slowly spreading to signal its awakening. Even though it should have been late in the evening, the white dragon lit up the destruction, brighter than any sun ever could.

Another failure.

“He really was quite impressive after he transformed, wasn't he?” Symonne mused as she sat on the edge of a sheet of metal siding, feet idly swinging in the air. “He took out that daemon with a single shot. Of course, now that his job is done, as he is now, it'll only be a matter of days before he takes the world with him.” She shrugged nonchalantly, before continuing, “But that's not our concern; we've met our quota. The rest is for humanity to deal with.”

A breeze ruffled through his hair as he clenched his staff tighter – this wasn't the outcome he'd been searching for. But that was fine. He had time. He just needed to figure out where he went wrong this time and fix that too. Turning on his heel, he started walking away, tightly gripping his staff to remind himself this was merely a minor setback.

She tilted her head back to look at him, curiosity and confusion lacing her features. “Oh? You're not going to fight him?”

“My battleground lies elsewhere.”

There was always time, and giving up was never an option. Not when he'd promised  _him_ on his dying breath.

The bright blue glow of his staff as he cast his arte was the last thing he saw before falling back into darkness.

* * *

 

_Brrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiinggggg!!!!_

Sorey blearily opened his eyes, sun streaming in through his window. A quick glance at the clock showed he'd overslept. Again. With a month left in the semester, no less. Quickly grabbing his clothes, he deftly stepped over the book on ancient heroes he'd been reading the night before and into his bathroom for a quick shower before getting dressed. In the interest of saving time, he clipped on his ear cuffs while running down the stairs to the breakfast table, where his grandfather and mother already sat, finishing their morning coffee.

Darting around the table, he quickly circled it, giving his grandfather a hug and his mother a kiss on the cheek before grabbing the last piece of toast at the table.

“Sorey, don't forget your lunch!” Selene called out as Sorey ran for the door.

Thundering foot steps came rushing back as Sorey skidded to a halt, happily grabbing the forgotten bento box resting at his place at the table. “Thanks mom! Your lunches are the best!”

He rushed out the door, skipping the last few steps as he hurried to put his shoes on before dashing out the door. He ran through the streets, waving to familiar shopkeepers and neighbors alike in his mad dash to make it to school before the bell rang.

A familiar parasol greeted him in the school courtyard, and he slowed as he approached, gasping for air as he matched their pace. “Morning Edna! Morning Alisha!”

“Oh, good morning Sorey!” Alisha replied with a bright smile.

Familiar blond hair peeked out as she moved her parasol to better see him. “Aren't we cheerful this morning,” she groused. She closed her parasol as they entered the school building, walking to her locker to store her bag.

“Well sure! Just a month left in the semester and then it's summer break!”

A flash of sadness passed by Edna's eyes, but before she could answer, the school bell chimed for the first warning bell, and Edna “accidentally” jabbed him with her parasol as she carefully hung it on a hook in her locker. “Enough talking. Let's go before we're  _all_ marked late. I don't know about you, but delicate ladies such as myself don't do well in detention.”

The final bell rang as they slid into their seats, and Sorey let out a sigh of relief. Moments later, the door opened, and their teacher, Uno, strode in.

“Good morning class. I am pleased to inform you we have a transfer student joining us today. Please introduce yourself.”

A boy confidently strode in through the door, his uniform crisp, his silver-white hair perfectly styled. Whether it was a trick of the light or real Sorey couldn't be sure, but he could swear the boy's hair was tinted blue at the tips. The boy quickly took the marker offered to him and wrote his name on the white board in perfect, neat letters.  _Mikleo Rulay_

Turning to face the class, Mikleo pushed up his blue framed glasses before looking up, his intense violet gaze meeting Sorey's for a brief moment, his short hair framing what could only be called a beautiful face.

“My name is Mikleo Rulay,” he stated. “I look forward to studying with you for the remainder of the semester.”

Executing a perfect bow to the class, Uno opened his mouth to direct Mikleo to an open seat, but Mikleo was moving before Uno had said a single word. Whispers went around the class as Mikleo walked past, his gaze never once leaving Sorey's face.

“Yes, the one there, behind the boy in the orange sweater. I know.”

* * *

 

Lunch break, Sorey decided, could not have come fast enough that day. He had a distinct feeling he was being watched throughout their morning lessons, and he was more than eager to escape to the rooftop for lunch.

Giggles erupted from the group of girls that had already surrounded Mikleo's desk, eager to get to know him better, but he simply stood up, ignoring their questions, and approached Sorey instead. “Could you walk me to the nurse's office? I'm supposed to go there on lunch to take my medication.”

Sorey looked up, surprised that Mikleo would ask him over any of his admirers, or even Alisha, the student council president. It would be a short walk, one that wouldn't delay him too much for meeting with Edna on the rooftops to eat lunch together like they usually did. “Um, sure.”

The hallways were empty as they walked towards the nurse's office, Mikleo in the lead despite having been the one to ask for the escort to begin with. If Sorey were being honest with himself, well, it was almost like Mikleo was the one leading . . . and there was something vaguely familiar and comforting about being alone with him too, even if his attitude was more than a little frosty.

But they'd barely exchanged more than a few words, and Sorey knew he had a good memory – and he was positive he'd remember someone that beautiful if he'd met them before. Lost in thought, he barely noticed when Mikleo suddenly stopped in the middle of the empty footbridge connecting the school buildings and nearly bumped into him.

“S-Sorry!” he exclaimed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He thought for a moment, confused as he realized they were on the wrong side of the school building for the nurse's office. “Wait, where are we going, Rulay? The-”

Mikleo suddenly whirled around, his face an unreadable mix of emotions. “Mikleo,” he declared, before his expression softened and he pulled an arm around himself. “Call me Mikleo,” he continued, his eyes downcast. “Don't call me by my last name.”

Startled by the sudden change, Sorey simply replied, “Um, okay, Mikleo then.” Looking around, grasping for any subject to talk about, he remembered why they were out in the hallways to begin with. “The nurse's office is in the other direction. I shouldn't have spaced out and-” He trailed off as their eyes met.

“I led you here on purpose,” Mikleo quietly interrupted. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Do you like the life you live right now? Do you consider your friends and family precious to you?”

“Well, I . . . Of course I do! What kind of question is that anyway, coming out of the blue?”

“Are you sure about that?

“Why would I joke about something like this? And besides, what's with the sudden questions?”

Mikleo closed in, and any further questions Sorey had died at the tip of his tongue as he felt strong arms wrap around him. “Soon, you'll be visited by someone who will promise you anything you could possibly wish for. If you cherish any part of your life as it is now, don't accept it. Just stay as you are.”

And then just as suddenly, Sorey was left to stare at Mikleo's retreating back as he went back the way they came, and toward the nurse's office.

* * *

 

“Man the new kid is definitely a little strange,” Sorey said as he idly toyed with the straw of his soda. The ice clanked around in the mostly empty glass as he mulled over their school day. “Smart, but strange.”

“Really?” Alisha replied. It was a rare day that she could come and hang out with them after school, and so the three of them had decided to go visit the local cafe.

“Did he do something weird?”

“Yeah, he asked me to walk him towards the nurse's office but then ended up asking me a bunch of weird questions in the hallway,” Sorey replied.

“Sounds strange. But then again, so are you,” Edna replied, nibbling on a french fry.

“Oh no,” Alisha said, looking at her watch, “I need to run.”

“Oh right, is it tea ceremony lessons today?” Sorey asked.

“No, cram school, and if I don't get into that school Aunt Maltran wants me to, she'll be really disappointed so I better go,” Alisha said, as she grabbed her bag and tray. “I'll see you at school tomorrow!”

“Man, the joys of being adopted by the CEO of Hyland Enterprises,” Sorey mused. “Well, I suppose we should get going too. Wouldn't want to miss out on visiting hours, right?”

Edna nodded, before lingering a bit, toying with the Normin mascot on her parasol. “Could we stop by the book store on the way there? I . . . I think Eizen might like a new book for me to read to him.”

Sorey smiled, before taking both of their trays to the trash. “Let's go then!”

* * *

 

The walk to the book store was uneventful, and soon, they were perusing the shelves of the history section. “Oh hey, how about this one? He might like it,” Sorey suggested, handing her a book on vases in ancient Greece.

She looked at the book, before another book on display caught her eye. Reading the title on the cover, she picked it up. “I think he'd like this one more.”

“Oh, I think he'd-”

_Help me!_

Sorey jerked up and looked around, searching for the source of the voice. To his surprise, everyone else around him continued perusing the books in the store, as though nothing had happened. He walked to the center aisle of the store, and looked through the front door. Nothing was amiss, and people continued to walk past, minding their own business. Surely, people would stop if someone begged for help . . . right?

“Sorey?”

Shrugging his shoulders, he turned back to her. “Nothing, I must be hearing things.”

_Please, help me!_

And there it was, again. This time, it was clear whoever it was, a young girl he would guess by the sound of the voice, was clearly in need of help. And he was hardly one to run away when someone needed his help.

“Edna, this might sound weird, but I think someone's in trouble.”

She gave him a look before answering, “What are you talking about, Sorey? I don't hear anything.”

_Please, help me . . . So . . .rey . . ._

There was no mistaking it this time, and time was definitely running out for whoever it was begging him. “You didn't hear anything?”

She shook her head, but set the book down as she sighed. “Fine. But you owe me dinner if you make me run around all over town after you.”

“Deal.”

As though they were guided by an invisible arrow, the pair left the bookstore, and headed for one of the Staff Only doors down a quiet corridor.

 


	2. Fethmus Mioma

_Left, right, left . . ._ Mikleo dodged around palettes and crates of excess stock as he chased his quarry through the back rooms of the mall. He knew full well what  _it_ was trying to do; this wasn't the first time  _it_ had tried this tactic.

A quick flash of silver in the dim lighting caught his eye, and he summoned his staff as he continued the chase. A stack of crates nearby provided the high ground he needed, and a few calculated leaps got him up on top of them. He was entirely focused on his quarry, so much so that when the back door opened, bright light suddenly flooding the area, he quickly froze on the spot. His quarry, on the other hand, saw its chance, and made a calculated tumble straight into Edna's waiting arms, knocking the other girl onto the ground.

_No . . ._

“Oh thank goodness you heard me!” it cried, clinging onto Edna's arms while looking up at her with wide, fearful eyes. “Please, I don't know why I'm being attacked!”

Mikleo bit back a cry of frustration as he quickly realized how damning the entire scene looked – him, armed, standing on the high ground, ready to attack, while it was scuffed up and injured, and it was definitely playing up that part of it as much as possible. To Mikleo's frustration, Sorey quickly spotted a broken piece of piping nearby, and before Mikleo could say more, he'd picked up the pipe and settled into a defensive stance in front of Edna.

“Sorey, step away.”

He shook his head, “No. What's going on? Why are you attacking an innocent girl?”

Mikleo nearly scoffed. Innocent? There was nothing innocent about  _it_ . “This doesn't concern you. Turn around and leave, and pretend you never saw this.”

Sorey fervently shook his head. “No. I won't turn a blind eye to this. There has to be another way. Let's just talk it out.”

Mikleo closed his eyes, taking a breath to steel himself.  _I have to do this, this is the only way; if only you understood that, Sorey._ He concentrated for a moment, muttering, “Howling deluge . . .” Icicles formed in the air as a bright blue-white magic circle appeared at his feet.  _Forgive me . . ._

Sorey took a step back, hesitation and disbelief clear in his features even in the dim lighting. “Mikleo, what-”

Mikleo didn't let him continue. “I've already tried that Sorey. It doesn't work. Now leave, before you get tangled up in this even more than you already have.”

But before Sorey could reply, a familiar purple mist crept along the floors as the world around them started to warp and distort. Rodents, skunks, he realized, skittered along through the mist, blurs of black and white fur standing out amidst the darkness.

Mikleo grit his teeth, feeling the domain manifest around them. Looking around, he noticed the mall interior was still outside the domain, and immediately began thinking of ways he could get Sorey to retreat.

“W-what's going on?” Edna asked, looking around at the strange mist.

“I-I don't know,” Sorey nervously replied, turning to look for threats from the darkness.   
“M-maybe it's just a gas leak.”

_No, it's something worse, much worse._ Mikleo wracked his brain, trying to think of ideas. His artes, he knew, would be sufficient for clearing away the smaller, weaker daemons that always accompanied the main one. That much he knew. But the daemon deep inside the domain, however . . . that would take some doing. But then again, if he could just beat back the small fry, that might be enough to chase off the daemon – as long as he kept Sorey safe, that was all that mattered. And even if he didn't secure the kill, he knew who owned this territory, and he was sure  _she_ could take care of it once she found it.

A pair of glowing red eyes appeared behind Edna, but before Mikleo could leap in, a familiar cry cut him off. “ _Vermilion rains, burn bright red! Burning Strike!_ ”

A series of fireballs rained down around them, purifying the weaker daemons lurking behind Edna.  _So she was around after all, as expected._ He mentally sighed in relief, on guard while carefully surveying the scene. They had been friends once upon a time.  _Lailah . . ._

“That was close, I'm glad I was close by. I'm guessing you go to Ladylake High given the uniforms.” She gestured to their clothes with one hand, while holding a piece of burning paper in the other. “We'll have time to do proper introductions in a moment, but first, time to leave a _blazing_ mark in your memory!”

With seemingly effortless grace, she stepped forward into the daemons gathered around, spinning and twirling in some sort of dance with fire at her fingertips. She paused in the middle of a cluster, red magic circle appearing at her feet as she shouted, “ _Crimson flame, spring forth! Flare Vortex!_ ”

Daemons screeched as a funnel of flames encircled her, tossing them into the air. The heat from the flames was nearly intolerable – a rare feat considering Mikleo's own personal alignment with water – and he had to shield his face until the spell died down. The domain faded as the daemons were scorched away, leaving Mikleo to drop his arm and warily look down at Lailah.

She sternly looked up before addressed him. “If you want the daemon, you better go chase it down yourself. I don't take lightly to others intruding on my territory, but I'll let you go,” she paused for effect before adding, “This time.”

* * *

 

Sorey breathed a sigh of relief as Mikleo retreated into the shadows, twin capes fluttering in the air behind him as he leapt off of a stack of crates and into the darkness. For a moment, he'd been afraid Mikleo would start fighting the girl who suddenly appeared and saved them, and he wasn't sure what he'd do if they did. He was sure Mikleo had some reason for his actions; the emotions he'd seen in those violet eyes during their conversation at school seemed to suggest there was more to the situation than the other boy was telling him.

Still, he didn't dwell too much on the matter, not when there were others to look after. Dropping the broken pipe with a clatter, he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and ran over to Edna, who looked even paler than usual and had a white-knuckle grip on her parasol. The injured mystery girl lay on her lap, cuts and bruises forming to match the deep purple of her hair and outfit. As far as he could tell, she looked barely a day over ten. Twelve, if he was being generous.

Heels clicked on the hard tile as their savior approached, her red and white dress dispersing into a familiar school uniform as she knelt next to Edna. She kindly smiled at them before speaking. “My name is Lailah. You could say Symonne here is a friend of mine.”

“Introductions later,” Edna tersely stated, continuing to tightly grab onto her parasol, “medical help for her now.”

Sorey nodded, knowing that asking after Edna with an effective stranger in their midst was a terrible idea. He was sure she was thinking back to the accident and seeing Eizen in a similar position, all bloodied in her lap from when he'd tried to protect her from the glass shards and force of the collision. He reached for his phone in his pocket, mind racing to think of an excuse he could use when the paramedics would inevitably ask difficult questions, namely, what had happened here.

“Wait,” she gently said, placing a hand on Sorey's hand to stop him. “I can help her.” She held her hands out, and then closed her eyes in concentration.

“But-”

Any further words Sorey had quickly disappeared when a small ornate dagger appeared and floated in her hands. The red magic circle – the same one as before, Sorey noted – appeared around her once more, and twin balls of green light swirled around Symonne, and her wounds vanished before his disbelieving eyes.

“Lailah, what was that?”

“Magic,” she cheerfully replied, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He wanted to ask Lailah more questions, but just then, the girl groaned and opened her eyes. Upon spotting Lailah, she perked up and all but leapt out of Edna's lap to hug the other girl. “Oh, Lailah! Thank goodness you made it. I was attacked by another malak, and I would have been in serious trouble had they not come along!” Lailah didn't respond, but she did return the hug as best as she could.

Spotting Sorey and Edna, Symonne asked, “And who might you be?”

Giving her what he hoped a bright smile, Sorey gently replied, “I'm Sorey, and this,” he gestured to his side, “is Edna.”

“Thank you for protecting me earlier. Let me properly introduce myself. I'm Symonne, and since you can hear me, that means you're one of the Chosen Ones!”

“Chosen Ones?” Sorey asked, while looking to Edna, who simply shrugged. Of all the things he had expected the girl to say, this was hardly it.

“Yes! It means you have the ability to make a pact with me! All you have to do is make a wish, and you'll become a malak, just like Lailah!”

“A . . . wish?”

“Oh yes! For anything you could possibly dream of! There's only one rule for this wish: You have to personally benefit from it! Other than that, anything's possible! Riches, immortality – it's all yours!”

_Soon, you'll be visited by someone who will promise you anything you could possibly wish for. If you cherish any part of your life as it is now, don't accept it. Just stay as you are._

Sorey paused as Mikleo's words echoed in his mind. Was this what his warning had been about? And if so, why?

“Now, now,” Lailah chided. “There's no point in being hasty over a life changing decision! You wouldn't want to waste the chance, right? So why not come over to my place for some tea and cake and it won't go to _waist_!” She paused for a moment, giving them both a bright smile, “Get it?”

Everybody groaned as they followed Lailah back out into the mall.

* * *

 

The three of them sat around Lailah's coffee table, as Lailah served tea and cake all around. Sorey took a bite of the offered cake, and grinned as he exclaimed, “Wow this is really good Lailah!”

Edna shrugged. “It's passable. 70 points.”

Sorey laughed, “Don't mind Edna. What she really means is that it's good.”

Lailah giggled into her hand, before serving the tea, “Isn't it? It's from a bakery down the street.”

Settling down at the coffee table, Lailah began, “Since you've both been Chosen by Symonne, I thought there should be a few things we should go over. To be given the opportunity to have Symonne grant you a wish is a once in a lifetime opportunity. At the same time, you should think carefully about what you want to wish for. There's no going back once you've become a malak, and it's a life changing decision no matter what happens.”

She paused, taking a sip of tea before continuing. “So you may as well make it the best wish you could possibly think of!”

“Absolutely! Whatever you can possibly wish for, as long as your soul is strong enough, it's within my power to grant it!” Symonne chimed in, with a bright cheerful smile on her face.

Sorey put his hand to his chin. “So, I could wish for all the money in the world?”

Symonne nodded, “Yup!”

“Or the most delicious vanilla soft serve ever made?”

“Certainly!”

“Or even an all-expense paid trip to the ruins of Camlann, the Origin Village?”

“I can grant that faster than a snap of your fingers!”

Sorey propped his chin in his hand, thinking of all the possibilities. It certainly seemed like a good deal, if anything it sounded like the person making the wish would benefit a lot out of it – their most dearly held desire granted, the ability to use magic to save other people . . .

Edna set her fork down with a quiet clink before asking, “Could we use our wish to help another person?”

Symonne put a finger to her lips as though she was carefully considering her answer. “Welllllllll, you _could_ ,” she began. “There's even been precedent for a wish like that.”

“But if you do, you should think about _why_ you're making that wish and whether it's what you really want or if there was something else you wanted instead,” Lailah quietly added.

At that, Edna didn't say anymore, instead choosing to play with the fork on her empty plate as she mulled over the information. “I guess you're right,” she replied, but without conviction. Sorey was sure she was thinking of Eizen, but knew it wasn't his place or time to bring him up in the conversation.

“Well, what do you think?” Symonne brightly asked, clasping her hands in front of her. “Got a wish ready to go for a contract with me?”

“I think we need some time to think it over,” Sorey answered. He smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. “I mean, I don't even know what I'd wish for!”

Symonne looked disappointed, but before she could say anything more, Lailah spoke up. “Well perhaps you would like to see for yourself what a day in the life of a malak is like before you make your wish? If you're interested, you can come with me tomorrow after school when I go searching for that daemon from this afternoon. I'm sure it would be an _illuminating_ experience!”

If nothing else, Sorey thought as he walked Edna home later that evening, he would at least have an idea of what he was in for and maybe more clarity for why two people had gone out of their way to warn him about taking Symonne's deal.

* * *

 

Sorey sat on a bench on the rooftop, lost in his thoughts as he stared past the fence and into the distance. His open lunch box sat next to him, having eaten little save for a few bites out of his rice. Symonne sat on the other side of his lunch box, examining the side dishes until she spotted the apple slices and snatched up a piece to eat with a grin. Edna, on the other hand, sat next o him, absentmindedly nibbled away at a chocolate croissant as she read reviews of historical books about pirates and sailing on her phone.

Just what  _would_ be worth it to him? There were lots of things that he  _wanted_ , like an around the world trip to see and explore every ruin he ever read about from the time he learned how to read. But that was something he could work toward in the future, preferably while studying to become an archaeologist himself. As for his home life, even though it was just him and his mother and Gramps, they were happy together as a family, and he had no real desire to change that. And while he could just as easily wish for something as grand as world peace, Symonne had already ruled that out – whatever Sorey could wish for had to be something that would benefit him personally most of all.

The metallic slam of the rooftop door closing caught his attention, and he turned to spot Mikleo stepping out onto the rooftop from the shadows of the entryway. Sorey sprang to his feet, ready for anything, but Mikleo stopped a distance away, choosing to inspect Sorey instead. For a moment, nobody moved, save for the wind blowing across the rooftop, rustling hair and clothing alike.

For a moment, their eyes met, and Sorey had to look away from the intensity of Mikleo's gaze.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed in his pocket, and his hand twitched to reach for it before he remembered just who was standing before him, and he stopped.

Mikleo smiled before making a show of waving his empty hands in front of him. “Go on, check that text message. I'm sure it's Lailah letting you know she's here to keep an eye on me. Don't worry, I have no intentions of fighting. Not here, anyway.”

Hesitantly, Sorey pulled his phone out of his pocket; his confusion growing as he read a single line of text on the screen, from Lailah:  _I'm watching_ .

“How-”

Mikleo cut him off. “So, do you plan on becoming a malak now?”

The change in subject caught Sorey off guard, and he blurted out the first answer that came to mind. “I . . . I don't know,” Sorey began.

“I see,” Mikleo answered, and Sorey could swear he could detect a hint of disappointment in the reply. “Do you remember what I said yesterday?”

“Yes,” he answered. And how could he possibly forget? It was easily one of the strangest conversations he'd had in his life, something straight out of a television show if he was being completely honest.

Some of the tension seemed to leave the other boy. “Good. I hope my warning will not be in vain.”

Mikleo spun on his heel, walking back to the door, when a thought occurred to Sorey and he shouted, “Wait, Mikleo! What did you wish for when you became a malak?”

Mikleo stopped and turned his head, giving Sorey a pointed look before continuing on his way.

* * *

 

The rest of the school day passed with a blur, and Sorey spent much of it doodling costume designs and attacks he could use in the margins of his notes. If Mikleo noticed or disapproved, he didn't react, preferring to stare out the window instead. When the final school bell rang for the day, he made no show of trying to get Sorey's attention, and merely packed up his things before leaving. Instead, Edna waited for him next to his desk, and took the time to finish placing her order for a book while he finished packing his things. Lailah met them at the school gates, and once they hit the near-abandoned alleyways near the shopping district, she summoned her ornamental dagger, watching it pulse as she walked along the streets.

“This is a vessel,” she began as it steadily pulsed in her hands. “Every malak has one; it's the source of their power and gets created at the time of the pact with Symonne. It's a symbol of our duty to fight daemons and serves as a way for us to track them,” she continued as they explored down the maze of alleys.

Sorey shuddered as he walked alone, noticing there was something different about the atmosphere. The shadows seemed darker, and the sunlight seemed dimmer even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and it had him looking constantly over his shoulder. It was like something was watching him, even though he couldn't see anyone or anything beyond the three of them and the occasional alley cat. Glancing over to Edna, he didn't miss how she seemed to grip her ever-present parasol tighter, and in an effort to ease her, he slowed his pace to allow her to walk in the middle.

“Anytime you hear about deadly murders in the news, of unsolved murders and disappearances – that's all the work of a daemon,” Lailah quietly explained over the rhythmic pulsing of her vessel. “I do what I can to keep them under control and protect as many people as I can, but,” she sighed, “I can't be everywhere all at once.”

Before long, Lailah stopped and turned, her face determined as she looked around them. The light from the dagger in her hands pulsed like the dance lights at a concert, the next pulse beginning even before the previous one had time to end. “The entrance to its domain; it's here.”

She walked to the seeming dead end, where a particularly ornate piece of fresh graffiti decorated the wall. “This is one of the more sinister ways a daemon can appear. To a normal person, this wall wouldn't be here, and it would appear as a continuation of the alleyway. They would walk in, and get lost, and inevitably die as the daemon corrupts them and eats them. You can see this glyph for what it is because I'm with you.”

“Why was it different yesterday?” Edna asked, while he watched Lailah examine the curlicues and symbols on the glyph.

“That's because we caught it in the middle of it creating its domain. Since last night, it had a chance to get away and get set up here instead.”

She strode back, glowing bright red as fire encircled her for a moment as her school uniform was replaced by the red dress from yesterday. She placed her hand on Edna's parasol, and it briefly glowed red as she cast some sort of spell on it. Conjuring a sheaf of paper, she waved her arms outward, turning it into a makeshift sword. Handing it to Sorey, she said, “I don't expect you'll need this, but just in case, use this to protect yourself. Now, follow carefully behind me. Wouldn't want you to get  _bummed_ out getting lost!”

* * *

 

The domain of the daemon was something out a psychedelic horror television show, Sorey concluded. Unlike yesterday, which was all about the purple smoke and mist and unseen creatures rustling in the darkness, this place was like a dimly lit cave, featuring skunk-like daemons front and center, each one jerkily moving as they skittered around their feet in some sort of eerie synchronized dance. A few in the back pounced towards them, baring sharp claws and teeth, and Sorey found himself desperately waving the fire imbued sword in front of him as he tried to avoid the attacks and stall for time. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Edna wildly swinging at a few harassing her ankles as she skipped and jumped to avoid the claws and teeth, but fortunately, so had Lailah, and a well placed paper doll scorched the daemons harassing them. Death screeches echoed in the air as the daemons writhed in the flames, and Sorey had to turn away from the sight – he was sure he'd be seeing these in his nightmares someday.

Wave after wave of daemons continued to attack them, pushing the three of them forward and deeper into the domain, until they reached a wall with an ornate door. The daemons backed off the moment they reached it, as though they had been forcefully guiding them there in the first place. The sudden silence echoed in Sorey's ears, his heavy breathing the only thing he could hear, as he swung his head to look around for new threats. Once Lailah dropped out of her battle stance, the exhaustion from all the fighting and running hit him, and he sank to the floor, grateful for the reprieve. Edna sank to her knees next to him, breathing just as hard as he was.

“This is crazy,” she said between gasps for air.

“Is it always like this?” he gasped as leaned back on his hands the floor.

“Not always,” she answered, “but the daemon got stronger after it escaped yesterday. I fear it may have snared a few victims with its trap since then.”

She let them rest for a few moments, before helping them both up from the floor.

“This the deepest part of the domain,” Lailah said as she door opened the door. The bright light of the room contrasted sharply with the dim lighting of the outer area, and Sorey had to shield his eyes until his eyes readjusted to the bright lighting.

A huge pit appeared in front of them, and a huge purple and green skunk daemon crouched in the middle, fangs bared and tails waving in the air. An aura of sickly yellow gas surrounded its tails, and Sorey covered his mouth and nose at the nauseating smell wafting up from the pit. Lailah motioned at the paper sword in Sorey's hands and it split apart, creating a transparent barrier of flames encircling Sorey and Edna.

“Lailah?” Sorey asked, hands still covering his mouth.

“It's too dangerous for me to let you two come down with me,” she began as she leapt down into the pit. “But don't worry,” she announced, dress fluttering in the wind as she fell, “I can handle it on my own. It wouldn't do if my fire artes were to look _uncool_ in front of my mentees, now would it?”

She landed in a crouch, and rushed forward, throwing a sheaf of paper forward, the flames drawing the skunk, which was easily twice her size, towards her. A flick of her right wrist, and a jet of flames exploded underneath it, tossing it into the air. A small flaming bird appeared at her raised left hand, and it charged into the hellion with a piercing cry, leaving it to writhe in the flames as it landed it on its back.

Lailah focused her power, a brilliant red circle appearing at her feet as the gathering power made her dress flutter in an unseen wind. “ _Radiant heat . . ._ ”

The hellion struggled to put out the flames, wriggling to get back onto its feet.

“ _Vermillion rains . . .”_

It rolled back over onto its paws, snarling as its claws dug into the ground as it charged toward the lone combatant in the ring.

“ _Behold the destruction of flames! Photon Burst!”_

A tiny ball of flame floated out from her outstretched hand, detonating into a ball of fire as it touched the daemon. It let out an unearthly screech of pain, but Lailah was far from finished. Pulling out two handfuls of flaming paper, she set them on fire in order to finish the job.

“ _Banquet of flames!”_ she exclaimed, twirling as she left trails of flaming paper in the air with her hands. _“Concerto Infernus!”_ The papers exploded at once, searing away all traces of the daemon as it let out one final unearthly screech.

The domain faded away as the daemon died, and suddenly, Sorey found himself standing in the empty alleyway from before, now much darker as the sun was slowly finishing its descent past the horizon. And yet, despite the dimmer lighting, Sorey couldn't help but notice how much lighter the air felt, and how it no longer seemed like he was being watched by someone or something.

Lailah held out her hands, and a round decorated bauble landed in her hands. She walked toward them, her dress fading away as her vessel appeared in her hands once more.

“While we malakhim have a duty to fight daemons, there's also another reason to do so.” She held up her vessel, and Sorey couldn't help but notice how dimly it was glowing from before.

“See how my vessel glows dimmer from all the magic I used earlier? This is an Anomalous Orb. It is the dormant form of all daemons. If I do this,” she held the bauble next to her vessel, and a swarm of black spots migrated from it to the orb, “it cleans my vessel, restoring my mana and allowing me to fight again.” As though to confirm what she said, her vessel glowed brightly before changing back into a ring on her finger.

“What happens if you run out of mana?” Sorey asked.

“You die,” she sadly replied. “Without mana, you're no different than a normal human. Even if you can see daemons, you can't fight them,” she shuddered as she paused, as though she was recalling a painful memory, “It's- It's not a kind fate that awaits for those of us who take the deal.”

“If it's not too impolite of me to ask,” Sorey began, “what did you wish for when you became a malak?”

Lailah closed her eyes.

Edna jabbed him in the side with her parasol as he rambled, “Ah, that was impolite after all, I'm sor-”

“Life. I wished to live,” Lailah quietly interrupted.

A somber silence fell between them, as Sorey wondered about what might have pushed her to make such a wish in the first place.

Sensing the change in mood, she continued entirely too brightly given her quiet statement before, “Oh look at me, sucking the  _life_ out of this conversation! This isn't about me, it's about you and your wish.”

“Yes, but this just serves to remind us whatever wish we make better be worth it,” Edna concluded.

“Yes,” Lailah replied, turning the Anomalous Orb in her hand. “And because of these, malakhim often carve out territories for themselves instead, refusing to help each other and choosing to fight each other for prime territories instead.”

“Like that transfer student,” Edna answered, looking past them to the far end of the alleyway.

Sorey followed Edna's gaze, to where Mikleo stood on the far end of the alleyway, twin capes fluttering in an invisible breeze as he held his staff at his side. Lailah whirled in an instant, throwing the orb towards him in the same motion, before settling into a defensive posture once more.

“It should be good for one more use,” she shouted as he caught it.

Mikleo ignored her statement. “Just what do you  _think_ you're doing, bringing in normal humans into a daemon's domain?! You're going to get them killed!”

“They've been Chosen by Symonne,” Lailah evenly answered. “You of all people should know that it's not a decision to be taken lightly.”

He threw the orb back at her. “And I don't need charity. I'll manage on my own.”

Lailah caught it, and sent him a steely glare. “If that's how you feel, then consider this your final warning. Next time we meet it won't be on such friendly terms.”

Mikleo matched Lailah's glare, and in an instant, Lailah's red and white dress from before reappeared in a flash of red. Sorey could feel the tension in the air, with how Lailah was posturing to keep herself between them and Mikleo, but even so, he knew he had to at least _try_.

“Why can't you just work together? Lailah, you said it yourself it's better to work together in numbers.”

“It's not something you would understand, Sorey,” he answered, meeting Sorey's gaze for the first time during the entire encounter. And just as quickly, he turned to leave.

“Let it go, Sorey,” Edna answered, bouncing her parasol on her shoulder.

That night, as he laid on his bed, the last thought he had before he fell asleep was how lonely Mikleo's violet eyes looked as he left them in the alleyway.

 


End file.
